Thermal treatment pack

ABSTRACT

A thermal pack including: a pouch containing a thermal source; and a bendable and deformable support one of attached to or disposed within the pouch, the support being configured such that the pouch is deformed into a shape matching a contour of a body part and the pouch is maintained in the shape while applied to the body part by the support. The support can include one or more deformable elongated members extending in at least one direction of the pouch.

CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims priority to Provisional application62/604,611 filed on Jul. 14, 2017 by the present inventor and entitled“A Thermal Treatment Pack”.

Reference to Federally sponsored research or development: NA

Reference to joint research agreements: NA

Reference to Sequence Listing: NA

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to treatment by appliedtemperature controlled materials, and, in particular, relates thetreatment of pain or soreness, and, in greater particularity, relates tothermal treatment of pain or soreness by applied hot or cold packs.

Numerous types of ice packs and heat packs use straps for holding thepacks to the body.

Further, many devices are shown in issued patents and patentapplications publications such as the following: US Patent ApplicationPub. 2001/0051820 shows thermal treatment packs and the retainers forsuch. These are highly configurable with the use of cloth strips withfasteners. US Patent Application Pub. 2004/0167456 shows a medical wrapabout an ankle using hook and loop. Ice or heat packs may be placedthereunder. US Patent Application Pub. 2004/0244412 shows a pouch forice bags that is attached to clothing by safety pins. US PatentApplication Pub. 2001/0051820 shows a pouch with adhesive tabs forattachment. US Patent Application Pub. 2006/0004427 shows a cylindricaltubular body of flexible material with a temperature retaining materialtherein that can be used on an arm or leg, but not a shoulder. US PatentApplication Pub. 2006/0081000 shows a self-adhesive ice bag devicepouch. US Patent Application Pub. 2008/0140166 shows a thermal pack withmodules inside. One version is tubular. US Patent Application Pub.2009/0205106 shows a tubular wrist band with elastic bands on the edges,but it does not provide for heating or cooling but for absorbing wateron the wrist. US Patent Application Pub. 2011/0093050 shows a thermalwrap with a pouch for foot use. The wrap is held in place by Velcrostraps. U.S. Pat. No. 5,395,399 shows a thermal wrap with a pouch forthermal material and is held in place by an elastic cloth. U.S. Pat. No.7,060,086 shows a tubular thermal pack for use on hands and legs. U.S.Pat. No. 8,603,151 shows a cooling device for application to body partshaving an external thermal source and is held in place by straps. All ofthese references are incorporated by reference.

Thus, there is a need for a more convenient device to threat pain orsoreness.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION:

The present invention provides a flexible device for providing a sourceof thermal energy for treating pain or soreness in an arm, leg orshoulder.

A thermal pack may be applied to the body on an arm or leg or shoulder.A pouch for holding a thermal pack or being the thermal pack itself isheld between parallel deformable, bendable rods that remain in thatposition to which bent until removed or adjusted. The rods may be on allfour sides. The pack is generally rectangularly shaped with roundedcorners, but other shapes may be considered. One end may be open andsealed by Velcro® after the appropriate thermal source whether a coolingsource or heating source is placed therein, but the pouch may also holda hot/cold therapy solution. The pouch may be an ice pack. If the sourceis the pouch, it is sold as a unit. The pack may come in various sizesfor an arm, leg or shoulder. Additional features may be added to thepouch such as handles to aid in applying the pack. In general, the packis held against the body part, i.e., wrist, and then bent around thewrist forming a “loosely” fitting cuff. This would be also done on theshoulder since the bendable rods will remain bent. The invention isdirected at a person normally at rest and not contemplated for a personactively moving.

In another embodiment of the present invention, a gel pack being eithera cold pack or a heat pack, is fixedly attached to the flexible rods andmay be used also to keep foods warm or cold, for example.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a pack using thermalenergy to treat pain or soreness;

It is another object of the present invention to provide a pack beingeither hot or cold in this treatment;

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a flexiblethermal pack that loosely grips the body part and remains there whilethe body remains inactive;

It is still a further object of the present invention to provide thermalpack whose shape is controlled by flexible and deformable rods;

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a thermaltreatment pack that does not require the use of straps;

It is still another object of the present invention to provide hot/coldtherapy packs for active people such as baby boomers or elderly who havea limited range of motion, or for people who are out of shape where thebendable rods may be tightened for greater compression.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a thermaltreatment pack that is self-contained that can be temperature adjustedby cooling or heating the whole pack.

These and other objects, features, and advantages of the presentinvention will become more readily apparent from the attached drawingsand the detailed description of the preferred embodiments, which follow.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a thermal treatment pack formed into acuff;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the thermal treatment pack beforethe insertion of the flexible rods therein and before the insertion of athermal source in a pouch of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the thermal treatment pack as theflexible rods are being inserted of the present invention;

FIG. 4 shows the thermal treatment pack before the insertion of the heatsource of the present invention;

FIG. 5 shows the heat source being inserted into the pouch of thethermal treatment pack of the present invention;

FIG. 6 shows the heat source within the pouch of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 shows the thermal treatment pack formed into a cuff and placedabout a wrist;

FIG. 8 shows the thermal treatment source with the heat sourceintegrated into the pouch and further having handles thereon attached tothe flexible rods

FIG. 9 shows alternative handles on the heat thermal treatment pack;

FIG. 10 shows the thermal treatment pack of FIG. 8 applied to a lowerleg section with the handles gripping the leg;

FIG. 11 shows the thermal treatment pack of FIG. 8 applied to a wrist byuse of straps in the handles;

FIG. 12 shows partially a twisted wire as the frame with a foam orsilicon cover supporting the thermal source of the present invention;

FIG. 13 shows a strap secured about the handles of the thermal treatmentpack like that of FIG. 11 applied to a wrist;

FIG. 14 shows a thermal treatment pack with the thermal source securedby bonding to the flexible rods thereabout;

FIG. 15 shows the thermal source having edges for bonding to theflexible rods thereabout;

FIG. 16 shows thermal sources being gel packs having edge for bonding tothe flexible rods thereabout;

FIG. 17A shows by top view the thermal treatment pack; FIG. 7B shows aside view of the pack of FIG. 17A; FIG. 17C shows the thermal sourcewith edge brackets bonded to the flexible rods thereabout with cornerconnectors for the flexible rods; and

FIG. 18A show the pack being bent and before placement in a containersuch as a cooler; and FIG. 18B shows the bent pack inside of acontainer.

Like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several viewsof the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In general, a thermal treatment pack is applied to the body on an arm orleg or shoulder. A pouch for holding a thermal pack or being the thermalpack itself is held between parallel deformable, bendable rods thatremain in that position to which bent. The rods may be on all foursides. The pack is generally rectangularly shaped with rounded corners,but other shapes may be considered. One end may be open and sealed byVelcro® after the appropriate thermal source whether a cooling source orheating source, but the pouch may also hold a hot/cold therapy solution.The pouch may be an ice pack. If the source is the pouch, it is sold asa unit. The pack may come in various sizes for an arm, leg or shoulder.Additional features may be added to the pouch such as handles to aid inapplying the pack. In general, the pack is held against the body part,i.e., wrist, and then bent around the wrist forming a “loosely” fittingcuff. This would be also done on the shoulder since the bendable rodswill remain bent. The invention is directed at a person normally at restand not contemplated for a person actively moving. In another embodimentof the present invention, a gel pack being either a cold pack or a heatpack, is fixedly attached to the flexible rod and may be used also tokeep foods warm or cold.

FIG. 1 shows a deformable thermal treatment pack 10 that can be appliedto the body such as at a leg, arm and even a shoulder with a thermalsource or pouch 12 therein. The pack 10 is bent like a cuff and willremain in that shape since deformable rods are placed thereabout. SeeFIGS. 7, 10 and 11. In FIG. 2, the pouch 12 is held between two paralleldeformable, bendable rods 14 that are enclosed in cylindrical sleeves 16as shown in FIGS. 2 to 6. These rods provide a support frame for thepouch. The bendable rods 14 form a support frame 17 about the pouch 12.The sleeves 16 are made by stitching away from the pouch edges 18 anappropriate distance inward. Other conventional means such as gluing orheat bonding can be used to form the sleeves depending on the materials.The pack 10 is generally rectangularly shaped but other shapes may beused. It may be about 2 to 4 inches on a short edge and 4 to 6 inches ona long edge for application to such locations as legs and arms. One end20 may be open and sealed by Velcro™ after the appropriate thermalsource 22, FIG. 5, whether a cooling source or heating source isinserted into the pouch 10.

In another embodiment, the appropriate thermal source whether an icepack or hot/cold therapy solution may already be sealed in the pouch andsold as a unit. The walls of the pack 10 may be water impermeable then.The pack 10 may come in various sizes for an arm, leg or shoulder. FIG.7, to be applied, the pack 10 is held against the body part, i.e., wrist24, and then bent around the wrist 24 forming a cuff such as shown inFIG. 7. This would be also done on the shoulder and since the bendablerods will remain bent, the bent pack 10 will loosely grip the shoulder,but additional compression may be used or available. The pack 10 maytightly enclose a portion of the body part, and thus be sufficiently incontact with the skin to provide appropriate thermal treatment. The useof straps would not be required. Although the pack 10 is best used oninactive body parts, it can be also used in active movement The bendablerods may be on all four sides. The corner devices of the pack may berounded. This product may be ideal for baby boomers, athletes, elderlywith limited motion, and out-of-shape customers.

In another embodiment, FIG. 8 shows a thermal pack 30 with a thermalsource 32 integrated into a pouch 34 and further having handles 36thereon attached to the flexible, deformable and bendable rods 38 thatprovide a support frame. The handles 36 may be removed from the bendablerods 38, but can otherwise aid in the placement of the pack 30. Thethermal source 32/pouch 30 is rectangular in shape and made ofplastic-like material which would be water-proof. The thermal source 32may be reusable by placing in a refrigerator or a microwave or aone-time use of heating or cooling material therein. The handles 36provide a further reach about a body part that may have an irregularshape and may also be made of flexible, bendable rods like used intie-wraps. The handles 36 shown are U-shaped. See FIGS. 14 to 17. FIG.10 shows the thermal treatment pack 30 of FIG. 8 applied to a lower legsection, and FIG. 11 shows the thermal treatment pack 30 of FIG. 8applied to a wrist.

FIG. 9 shows alternative handles 40 and 42 on the thermal treatment pack30. The alternative handles 40 and 42 may have flattened sections 44 and46, either being oriented perpendicular or parallel to the pouch. Thisprovides for ease of handling and also for attachment of a strap 46 asshown in FIGS. 11, 12, and 13. With the use of a strap 46, the pack 30can even be used on an active person.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the bendable or flexible or defoimable rods14 are like tie wraps. They are flexible, can be bent to a particularshape and will remain in that shape until bent further, and will resistbending to a certain degree. This rod may be made of a foam or siliconmaterial thereabout with the twisted wires therein. See FIG. 12. Thesebendable rods 38 may be of tubular shape as shown. The bendable rods 41,in FIG. 12, may be twisted wires 40 inside of a tube 41.

Referring to FIGS. 14 to 17, in FIG. 14, a thermal treatment pack 50 isshown. A pouch 52 is designed to hold either cooling gel or heating gelor other material such as ice. The pouch 52 is plastic and ispermanently and fixedly attached to two flexible side rods 54 being madeof a foam or silicon material and having therein wires, not shown.Further, two end rods 56 are also flexible if used. The side rods 54 andend rods 56 may be jointed together by corner support devices 58 thatare typically rounded.

Referring to FIG. 15, the pouch 52 has extended edges 60 being made ofsimilar material as the pouch 52. The pouch 52 may be about 3 to 4inches wide and 6 inches long, but custom shapes are possible for suchareas as the shoulder and neck. Other sizes may be used since it may beused on a leg having a larger diameter than a wrist. The extended edges60 extend therefrom by about ¼ to ½ inch and has a plurality of slottedholes 62 running along the length. In the embodiment of FIG. 14, boththe sides and the ends of the pouch have this extended edge 60 thereon.

These extended edges 60 used a vulcanization process to secure the edges60 to the gel pack 52. The bendable rods 54/56 were enclosed in a foamor silicon or similar material and then secured to the edges 60 byultrasonic welding. The pouches 52/60 have the extended edges on eitherthe sides or the ends or both. The rods with corners are placed aboutthe pouches 52/60. The pouch 52 shown in FIG. 14, being white, can holdmaterial that maybe activated to provide heat. Referring to FIG. 16,pouch 66 shown may be blue in color and filled with cold gel that may beplaced in a refrigerator for cooling. Similar edges 60 having a slottedpattern thereon allow for secure attachment to the rods byvulcanization.

To cover a large area, the pack 50 may be attached to similar packs 50by use of snap fittings as shown in FIG. 14. Each side of the pack 50has a male snap fitting 90 that may be a rounded post and a female snapfitting 92 that may be a hole into which the post closely fits. Furthera dent on the post may further secure the post in the hole. The oppositesnap fittings are attached to each corner device 58 and when constructedthe other adjacent side has the snap fittings reversed so that one pack50 may be pushed into an adjacent pack 50.

FIGS. 17A, 17B and 17C illustrate a pack 80 assembled and disassembledshowing the various items thereon.

In a further embodiment as shown in FIGS. 18A and 18B, the thermal pack61 if a cold pouch with gel material or ice therein, may be used in foodstorage and allows for molding or shaping of the pack 61 to more closelyfit about food items, not shown, in a container 62.

Since many modifications, variations, and changes in detail can be madeto the described embodiments of the invention, it is intended that allmatters in the foregoing description and shown in the accompanyingdrawings be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.Thus, the scope of the invention should be determined by the appendedclaims and their legal equivalents.

1. A thermal pack, said thermal pock comprising: a pouch for eitherholding containing a thermal source or being u unitury thermal source:and a bendable and deformable support being at least two bendable amideformable rods one of attached to or disposed within the said pouch,the support being configured such that the pouch is deformed into ashape matching a contour of a body part and the pouch is maintained inthe shape while applied to the body part by the support.
 2. The thermalpack as defined in according to Claim
 1. farther-includinghaving-handies attached to the support frame wherein the supportcomprises one or more deformable elongated members extending in at leastone direction of the pouch.
 3. The thermal pack as defined in accordingto Claim
 1. wherein the said pouch comprises a cavity having the thermalsource disposed therein is mude of a flexible materiul. substantiallyrectangular in shape, having two flat sides, being a top and a bottom,with two ends and two sides, having one end open that can be sealedclosed for holding said thermal source.
 4. The thermal pack as definedin according to Claim wherein the said thermal source comprises one ormore of a hot source or a cold source Iikean4ee-puek-and-uscd-in-thctreatmcnt-of-pain or soreness.
 5. The thermal pack as defined inaccording to Claim wherein the one or more deformable members comprisefirst and second deformable members disposed along first and secondedges, respectively, of the pouch a pair of
 6. The thermal pack usdefined in according to Claim 1, wherein the pouch comprises a firstnotch and the said thermal paek-has-said thermal source is contained ina second pouch wherein the second pouch is contained in the first pouchintegrated therein as a unitary structure.
 7. The thermal packas-deftned-in according to wherein the pouch includes first and secondedge pockets formed on the first and second edges, respectively, of thenouch. the first and second elongated members being disposed in thefirst and second edge pockets, respectively said thermal source iseither a hot source or a eold-soaree and used for treatment of pain andsoreness.
 8. The thermal pack as defined in according to Claim whereinsaid the thermal source is essentially rectangular having with fourfirst and second edges and two first and second sides, the first andsecond sides being longer than the first and second edges having utleast two extended edges thereon.
 9. The thermal pack as defined inaccording to Claim
 8. further comprising a first handle and a secondhandle having at least two deformable rods fixedly connected to thethermal source a the first and second edges, respectively said extendededges.
 10. The thermal pack as defined in according to Claim 9, furthercomprising a fastener for connecting the first and second handlestogether having a
 11. The thermal pack as defined in according to Claim10, wherein the fastener comprising a strap said deformable nnls areconnected hy corner devices.
 12. The thermal pack as-defined-inaccording to Claim further comprising a first plurality of connectorsarranged on at least one side of the pouch, the first plurality ofconnectors being configured to detachably attach to one or more of asecond plurality of connecters arranged on an other pouch wherein endrods act as
 13. The thermal packs as defined in according to Claimwherein the first plurality of connectors are arranged on each of foursides of the pouch
 14. A method of making a thermal pack, the methodcomprising the steps of: said method providing two or more at least oneflexible and deformable elongated member, rods: providing a thermalpouch made of a flexible material and containing a thermal sourcethereon; and attaching the thennak-poaeh-to at least one said flexibleand deformable elongated member to be one of attached to or disposedwithin the pouch, the at least one flexible and deformable elongatedmember being attached such that the pouch is deformed into a shapematching a contour of a bodv part and the pouch is maintained in theshape while applied to the body part hv the at least one flexible anddeformable elongated mcmbcr-reds.
 15. (Canceled)
 16. The mcthtxl osdefinedin according to Claim
 14. wherein the attaching comprises wheresuid flexible und deformable rods are fixedly uttuohed attaching the atleast one flexible and deformable elongated member to extended-edges anedge of said the thermal pouch.
 17. The method as defined in accordingto Claim 16 wherein said extended edges are the attaching comprisesullrasonicallv welding the welded to said flexible and deformuhle rodsat least one flexible and deformable elongated member to the edge of thepouch.
 18. (Canceled)
 19. The method as-defwed-in according to Claim 14.further comprising connecting the pouch to an other pouch along at leastone side of the pouch further providing-snap fittings on said thermalpack so as to allow two or more packs to he attached together.
 20. Themethod as defined in according to Claim
 14. wherein said flexible unddeformuhle reds me inserted the attaching comprises inserting at leastone flexible and deformable elongated member into a pocket formed alongat least one side of the tubes in said pouch being made of said flexiblematerial, further said pouch having a closable opening for inserting ofsaid hot or cold source.
 21. A thermal pack comprising: a pouchcontaining a thermal source; a bendable and deformable support one ofattached to or disposed within the pouch, the support being configuredsuch that the pouch is deformed into a shape matching a contour of abody part and the pouch is maintained in the shape while applied to thebody part by the support; and a first plurality of connectors arrangedon at least one side of the pouch, the first plurality of connectorsbeing configured to detachably attach to one or more of a secondplurality of connecters arranged on an other pouch.
 22. The thermal packaccording to claim
 20. further comprising the other pouch having thesecond plurality of connecters arranged on at least one side of theother pouch, wherein the pouch and the other pouch arc connected alongthe at least the one side of the pouch and the at least one side of theother pouch. side of the pouch and the at least one side of the otherpouch.